Crackling Roasted Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg pork belly

3/4 tsp five spice powder (bumbu ngohiong)

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp white pepper

For the skin: 

3 tbs vinegar

2 1/2 tsp salt

1. In small bowl mix the five spice powder, salt, sugar, pepper until well combined. 
2. In another small bowl mix 1 1/2 tbs vinegar and 1 tsp salt until well combined.
3. Prepare the pork belly, pat dry the skin with kitchen towel. With a tooth pick, jab the skin from the pork belly evenly to absorb the marinade better and help the skin creates crispy crackling texture.
4. In a plate or a cutting board,  place the pork belly skin side down, with a knife cut the meaty part (not the skin) about 1 cm deep along the length, be careful not to cut through. Rub the meat with five spice powder mixture.
5. Flip the pork belly and now rub the skin part with half of the vinegar mixture. Marinate for about 6 hours or overnight.
6. Prepare baking sheet, line with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 200 °C, upper heat.  First place the pork belly skin side down. Roast the meaty part for about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. In a small bowl mix the rest ingredients for the skin 1 1/2 tbs vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp of salt until well combined. 
8. Take the pork belly out of the oven, turn it around so now the meaty part side down and the skin part side up. Pat dry with kitchen towel, brush evenly with half of the vinegar mixture and roast it for about 20 minutes. Take it out, pat dry one more time and brush the skin again with the rest of the vinegar mixture, roast again for about 15 minutes or until the skin is crisp golden brown.
9. Take it out and let it cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.

I love to enjoy this dish with steamed rice or Hainan rice, garlic chili sauce and cucumber slices.